SeRMN contributions at ISMAR EUROMAR 2019 Conference

Some of the SeRMN staff will present our last research works at the annual meeting of the European magnetic resonance community ISMAR EUROMAR 2019 Conference that will take place from 25th to 30th August in Berlin. Find below a summary of our contributions.

Pau Nolis presents a poster entitled “Reducing experimental time using Multiple Fid Acquisition (MFA) strategy” (P341). Pau Nolis, Kumar Motiram-Corral, Miriam Pérez-Trujillo, Teodor Parella.

Speeding-up NMR molecular analysis is an important research field which has been continuously advancing since NMR early days. The relevant benefits are clear and evident: reduce the time per analysis directly reduce its cost and gaining spectrometer time to analyze new samples. Many interesting tools and concepts have been appearing in last decades. Concretely, our experience focuses on the development of new NMR experiments using TS (Time-Shared), SA (Spectral Aliasing) and MFA (Multiple Fid Acquisition). MFA strategy is an interesting strategy that allows the acquisition of different structural information in a single experiment. Basically, MFA experiments consist in the design of pulse sequence experiments which accommodate several acquisition windows per experi-ment, each registering different relevant information for the structural molecular character-ization. The methodology brings a corresponding important time benefit. Last year, we have reported several new NMR experiments designed with MFA stratey and herein we would present the most relevant achievements. The overall discussion will be mainly focused on the sensitivity gains per time unit of the presented experiments.

Eva Monteagudo presents a poster entitled “Enantiodifferentiation Study of Spiroglycol Chirality” (P306). Eva Monteagudo, Albert Virgili, Teodor Parella, Carles Jaime.

The 3,9-bis(1,1-dimethyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane commonly named pentaspiroglycol (PSG) or spiroglycol (SPG) is a high molecular weight rigid alicy-clic diol widely used in the chemical industry. SPG has no hazardous classification, it is not mutagenic and is a safe alternative to Bisphenol A, a well-known chemical which is rising concern due to his proved endocrine disruptor activity. Moreover, some of the SPG main applications are focused on epoxy resins, liquid polyester resins, radiation curing resins and in polymer film material field. However, the spiroglycol structure, configuration and conformation have never been deeply studied. Herein, we perform for the first time a preliminary NMR and computational study of the spiroglycol structure. SPG is a highly symmetrical molecule but it should be chiral due to the presence of a chiral axis. The presence of two enantiomers was demonstrated per-forming NMR enantiodifferentiation experiments using α,α’-bis(trifluoromethyl)-9,10-an-thracenedimethanol (ABTE) as chiral solvating agent (CSA). The addition of 0.6 equivalents of ABTE allows the differentiation of several spiroglycol proton signals. The lack of resolu-tion observed in the proton spectrum can be tackled through the corresponding 13C NMR spectrum where a significant enantiodifferentiation at the spirocarbon atom was observed.In order to physically separate both enantiomers, a SPG derivatization with camphor-sulphonic acid was performed affording the corresponding diastereoisomeric ester mixture.

Kumar Motiram-Corral, PhD student at SeRMN, participates in the “Novena Edició de les Jornades Doctorals” by Dept. of Chemistry, UAB.

The 23rd May 2019 at 12:45, Sala d’Actes de la Facultat de Ciències de la UAB, I will present my work on “Implementing one-shot multiple-FID acquisition into homonuclear and heteronuclear NMR experiments” at the Novena Edició de les Jornades Doctorals by the PhD Chemistry Program and the Chemistry Department (Meeting program).

Job offer for the INSPiRE-MED project

This job offer has expired

Official call by Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Deadline for submissions: 21/5/2019 at 23:00

See UAB and/or Euraxess advertisements for further information about the position and how to apply.

We are recruiting an Early Stage Researcher to work on the implementation of high-resolution MRSI methods in a pre-clinical scanner as part of the INSPiRE-MED European project.

We seek a highly motivated and qualified individual as Early Stage Researcher for a three-year applied research project. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of advanced biomedical research tools in the field of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging, and its application to the clinical day-to-day practice.

Project description: This position is one of the 15 ESR positions of the INSPiRE-MED European Training Network, which focuses on the development of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) combined with Positron Emission Tomography (PET), enhanced by machine learning techniques.

The main aim of the PhD project (ESR4) will be the implementation of innovative high spatial resolution MRSI methods in a pre-clinical scanner. The ultimate goal will be the validation of optimal methods for improving imaging biomarker development of brain tumour in longitudinal studies of therapy response in mouse glioblastoma models. The project will involve evaluation of the methodology performance limits, repeatability and reproducibility compared to stock Bruker Biospec MRSI sequences and the assessment of speed-up MRSI methods in a 7-Tesla pre-clinical scanner.

Continue reading Job offer for the INSPiRE-MED project

Job offer at CIBER for the INSPiRE-MED project

We are recruiting an Early Stage Researcher to work on a decision-support system based on MRSI data at 3T, for glioblastoma therapy response follow- up,as part of the INSPiRE-MED European project.

We seek a highly motivated and qualified individual as Early Stage Researcher for a three-year applied research project. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of advanced biomedical research tools in the field of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging, and its application to the clinical day-to-day practice.

Project description: This position is one of the 15 ESR positions of the INSPiRE-MED European Training Network, which focuses on the development of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) combined with Positron Emission Tomography (PET), enhanced by machine learning techniques.

The main aim of the PhD project (ESR12) will be development of a Machine Learning medical decision-support system based on MRSI data at 3T, for glioblastoma therapy response follow-up.

The ESR will develop a novel medical decision support system (MDSS) focused on glioblastoma therapy response follow-up, based on magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) data, able to take and process data from multiple MRSI formats and centres. For each patient’s MRSI, the MDSS should deliver a nosological or classification image, ready to be fused with images of other MR modalities from the same patient. The DSS will be integrated into the interface of the academic version of jMRUI, in a way that allows clinicians evaluate the system with their data. An important part of of the project will be the incorporation of automated MRSI artifact detection and removal tools.

Continue reading Job offer at CIBER for the INSPiRE-MED project

Rethinking COSY and TOCSY acquisition

Nolis, Pau & Teodor Parella. 2019. Practical aspects of the simultaneous collection of COSY and TOCSY spectra. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry. DOI: 10.1002/mrc.4835

The practical aspects of some NMR experiments designed for the simultaneous acquisition of 2D COSY and 2D TOCSY spectra are presented and discussed. Several techniques involving afterglow‐based, CTP‐based and NOAH‐based strategies for the collection of different FIDs within the same scan are evaluated and compared. These methods offer a faster recording of these spectra in small‐molecule NMR when sensitivity is not a limiting factor, with a reduction in spectrometer time about 45%‐60% when compared to the conventional sequential acquisition of the parent experiments. It is also shown how the optimized design of an extended three‐FID approach yields one COSY and two TOCSY spectra simultaneously by combining CTP and NOAH principles in the same experiment, affording substantial sensitivity enhancements per time unit.

New methodology to obtain High Resolution aliased HSQC

Nolis, Pau, Kumar Motiram-Corral, Míriam Pérez-Trujillo & Teodor Parella. 2019. Simultaneous acquisition of two 2D HSQC spectra with different 13C spectral widths. Journal of Magnetic Resonance. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2019.01.004

ABSTRACT: A time-efficient NMR strategy that involves the interleaved acquisition of two 2D HSQC spectra having different spectral widths in the indirect 13C dimension is presented. We show how the two equivalent coherence transfer pathways involved in sensitivity-enhanced HSQC experiments are managed selectively and detected separately in different FID periods within the same scan. The feasibility of this new SADA-HSQC (Spectral Aliasing in Dually Acquired HSQC) technique is demonstrated by recording simultaneously two complementary datasets, conventional and highly-resolved spectral-aliased 2D HSQC spectra, in a single NMR experiment. Combining the information from both datasets, accurate chemical shift determination and excellent signal dispersion is achieved in a unique measurement using only few t1 increments.

Prenatal cerebral and cardiac metabolic changes in a rabbit model of fetal growth restriction

Simões, Rui V., Miquel E. Cabañas, Carla Loreiro, Miriam Illa, Fatima Crispi & Eduard Gratacós. 2018. Assessment of prenatal cerebral and cardiac metabolic changes in a rabbit model of fetal growth restriction based on 13C-labelled substrate infusions and ex vivo multinuclear HRMAS. PLOS ONE 13(12). e0208784. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208784

Background: We have used a previously reported rabbit model of fetal growth restriction (FGR), reproducing perinatal neurodevelopmental and cardiovascular impairments, to investigate the main relative changes in cerebral and cardiac metabolism of term FGR fetuses during nutrient infusion.

Methods: FGR was induced in 9 pregnant New Zealand rabbits at 25 days of gestation: one horn used as FGR, by partial ligation of uteroplacental vessels, and the contralateral as control (appropriate for gestation age, AGA). At 30 days of gestation, fasted mothers under anesthesia were infused i.v. with 1-13C-glucose (4 mothers), 2-13C-acetate (3 mothers), or not infused (2 mothers). Fetal brain and heart samples were quickly harvested and frozen down. Brain cortex and heart apex regions from 30 fetuses were studied ex vivo by HRMAS at 4°C, acquiring multinuclear 1D and 2D spectra. The data were processed, quantified by peak deconvolution or integration, and normalized to sample weight.

Continue reading Prenatal cerebral and cardiac metabolic changes in a rabbit model of fetal growth restriction

Job offer for the INSPiRE-MED project

Job offer now closed and replaced by this job offer.

We are recruiting an Early Stage Researcher to work on the implementation of high-resolution MRSI methods in a pre-clinical scanner as part of the INSPiRE-MED European project.

We seek a highly motivated and qualified individual as Early Stage Researcher for a three-year applied research project. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of advanced biomedical research tools in the field of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging, and its application to the clinical day-to-day practice.

Project description: This position is one of the 15 ESR positions of the INSPiRE-MED European Training Network, which focuses on the development of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) combined with Positron Emission Tomography (PET), enhanced by machine learning techniques.

The main aim of the PhD project (ESR4) will be the implementation of innovative high spatial resolution MRSI methods in a pre-clinical scanner. The ultimate goal will be the validation of optimal methods for improving imaging biomarker development of brain tumour in longitudinal studies of therapy response in mouse glioblastoma models. The project will involve evaluation of the methodology performance limits, repeatability and reproducibility compared to stock Bruker Biospec MRSI sequences and the assessment of speed-up MRSI methods in a 7-Tesla pre-clinical scanner.

Continue reading Job offer for the INSPiRE-MED project